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Israel Antiquities
Authority
Jerusalem Region
The Hebrew University
of Jerusalem
The Faculty of Humanities
Institute of Archaeology
The Jerusalem
Development
Authority
New Studies
in the Archaeology
of Jerusalem
and its Region
Collected Papers
Volume VI
Editors:
David Amit, Guy D. Stiebel
Orit Peleg-Barkat
and Doron Ben-Ami
Jerusalem 2012
CONTENTS
7
9
25
Editorial Introduction
David Amit, Guy D. Stiebel, Orit Peleg-Barkat and Doron Ben-Ami
Excavations in Jerusalem and its Region, 2011−2012
Doron Ben-Ami
Preservation and Development Works Conducted during 2012 in the
City of David, the Ophel and along the Tyropoeon Valley
Shahar Puni
J E R U S A L E M AND THE JUDAEAN FOOTHILLS:
TH E E A R LY PER IOD S
35
7*
50
66
A Settlement and a Cemetery from the Intermediate Bronze
Age in Ramat Bet Shemesh
Yitzhak Paz
A Settlement from the Intermediate Bronze Age –
Middle Bronze II in Newe Shalom
Dan Benjamin Storchan
Cult in Khirbet Qeiyafa from the Iron Age IIa –
Cult Rooms and Shrine Models
Yosef Garfinkel and Saar Ganor
Remarks on the Archaeology of Jerusalem in the Persian Period
Hillel Geva
N E W S T U D I ES IN EPIGRAPHY AND GLYPTICS
83
105
110
Assur in Jerusalem – New Glyptic Evidence of the Assyrian
Influence on Jerusalem
Ariel Winderbaum
The Seal Found near the Western Wall – A Suggestion
for Its Meaning and Use
Shlomo Naeh
A Graffito Bearing the Name of Trajan in a Cave at Kh. ʾArâk Hâla
North of Bet Guvrin
Boaz Zissu, Boaz Langford, Avner Ecker and Esther Eshel
J E R U S A L E M AFTER THE ISLAMIC CONQUEST:
N E W D I S C O VER IES
125
136
149
161
Manufacture of Bone Items from the Early Islamic Period in Givati Parking
Lot Excavations
Ariel Shatil
New Discoveries in the Via Dolorosa – Excavations and
a Survey in the Austrian Hospice and at the Vicinity of the "Ecce Homo" Arch
Shua Kisilevitz and Roie Greenwald
The Market Street of Crusader Jerusalem in Light of
a Recent Archaeological Excavation
Yechiel Zelinger and Michael Ehrlich
Antique Maps of Jerusalem as Sources for its History:
Methodological Lessons
Rehav (Buni) Rubin
N ew finds AT HER OD IU M
181
194
199
New Findings at Herodium by the Ehud Netzer's Expedition
Yakov Kalman, Rachel Chachy, Oren Gutfeld and Roi Porat
Herod's Workers: The Graffiti Evidence from the Area of the Theater
at Herodium – The Greek and Latin Inscriptions
Avner Ecker
Herod's Workers: The Graffiti Evidence from the Area of the Theater
at Herodium – The Aramaic Inscription
Esther Eshel
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem *7
An Intermediate Bronze Age Farmhouse at Newe Shalom
Dan Benjamin Storchan
Israel Antiquities Authorities
Until recently, nearly all information about
surveys and excavations conducted at large tells
the Intermediate Bronze Age period (IBA), c.
and burial sites. The noticeable abandonment
2300-2000 BCE, in Israel has been based on
of many of the previously inhabited city
1 Map of the excavation area
*8
An Intemediate Bronze Age Farmhouse at Newe Shalom
centers was traditionally interpreted to be a
was however sufficient to enable a complete
decline and decay of the newly achieved urban
reconstruction of the building plan. The
lifestyle (Herzog 1997). New studies in the
building consists of an entrance corridor (Room
IBA period have revealed numerous domestic
112), a rectangular open courtyard (Room 113),
sites typified by largely spread clustered
and three rectangular side rooms (Room 106,
buildings found on the slopes of moderate
Room 108, and Room 109) (Figs. 2-3).
hills in areas above streambeds (Dagan 2006).
The sites were largely hidden in agricultural
Entrance corridor (Room 112) and
lands covered by alluvial soils. Recently, due
Courtyard (Room 113)
to increasing modern construction and urban
The structure’s main entrance (3 m width),
sprawl into undeveloped land, a number of
located in the northwest corner of the
previously unknown IBA settlement sites were
excavation area between walls W6 and W7, was
discovered during archaeological inspection
gained from the north into a square corridor
and mechanical trenching in the area of Bet
(3x3 m) (Fig. 4). Within the corridor, a layer of
Shemesh. At Moshav Newe Shalom, located
earth and 2–3 densely packed medium sized
south of the Latrun junction, archaeological
fieldstone courses were revealed. The stones
mechanical trenching, prior to the expansion
seem to have been intentionally dumped to level
of the neighborhood, uncovered the remains
the natural slope of the bedrock. The stone fill
of a large multi-roomed structure (Fig. 1). A
would have served as a strong foundation for
limited salvage excavation was undertaken that
upon which a beaten earth floor would be set.
revealed a farmhouse dated to the Intermediate
At the southern join of walls W7 and W4, two
Bronze Age period (IB) with a continuous
lower set stones within the line of W7 delineate
however, less intensive occupation during the
an entranceway leading into a courtyard (Room
Middle Bronze II period (MBII).¹
113) to the east. The rectangular courtyard
Upon excavation, the partially exposed tops
(8x3.5 m) was built along the northern façade
of the structure’s walls enabled immediate
of the structure (Fig. 5). The walls outlining
identification of a generally rectangular
the northeastern corner were not preserved
building plan (15x13 m) and differentiation of
and could be assumed to have continued the
the building’s southern most rooms. The tops of
delineation of walls W1 and W12 to form a
the stones bared shallow groove marks resulting
corner. A 2 m wide gap in W4 in the central
from modern agricultural tilling in the area.
part of the courtyard’s northern wall (W4)
The shallow topsoil cover, modern agricultural
served as an entrance leading north to a central
activity, and the natural erosion processes
room (Room 109).
in the area allowed for only a moderate
preservation of the structure’s packed earth
Room 109 – Central Room
floors. The building was preserved (in most
Nearly all of the walls of the central room,
cases) to a height of one single stone course but
forming a generally rectangular plan (9x3 m),
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem 2 Plan and sections of the excavation
*9
*10
An Intemediate Bronze Age Farmhouse at Newe Shalom
3 General view of the structure, looking north
4 The entrance corridor (Room 112), looking south
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem *11
5 General view of the courtyard, looking southwest
were apparent upon excavation. The room can
Room 106
be divided into an upper (southern) and lower
The southern half of Room 106 (3.5x9 m)
(northern) sections. In the southern part of the
was not preserved however, its original size
room, a partial stone pavement was uncovered.
can be completely reconstructed based on an
Among the stone pavement, a stone barring a
assumingly symmetrical building plan. Both
small shallow cupmark, presumably used as a
walls W5 and W14 would have extended to
mortar, was found. The southern and a large
form the buildings’ southwestern corner. The
part of the western walls of the room were not
room is bisected and halved by a natural dip in
preserved. In the center of the room, a large flat
the bedrock and an inner division wall, W8. To
topped stone was uncovered and sunk into a
the north of W8 a small stone pavement was
packed earthen floor it served as a pillar base.
uncovered. The western extent of the pavement
This northern sloping floor covered the entire
abuts a wall, W13, built of medium fieldstones.
northern part of the room. Along the western
The partially stone-paved room and internal
part of the room, a 1 m wide entranceway, built
dividing wall indicate an obvious spatial and
between walls W3 and W4, enables passage into
possibly functional differentiation within the
Room 106.
room. In the western half of the room a layer
*12
An Intemediate Bronze Age Farmhouse at Newe Shalom
of mudbrick chunks and debris was uncovered.
rooms of the structure. With exception of the
Below the layer of disintegrated mudbricks, a
courtyard, it is likely that the other rooms would
packed earth floor set directly upon the bedrock
have been roofed as well, however a pillar base
was uncovered.
was only found in the central room.
Mechanical trenching, conducted before and
Room 108
during the excavation, around the excavation
A 1 m wide gap within W2 provides access from
was not successful in identifying any other
the central room to Room 103. At the entrance a
structures in the immediate area. With the
wall, W9, built of a single row of medium sized
exception of numerous scattered and badly
fieldstones in an east/west orientation, divides
preserved terrace walls, the building seems
the long room into smaller cells. In the north,
to be the only architectural element in the
Room 108A (2.5x3 m), a layer of medium sized
area. The lack of other structures in the area
fieldstones, similar to that found in the entrance
suggests the building to have been isolated and
corridor, was uncovered. The removal of the
functioned as a farmhouse. Farmhouses would
stone pavement uncovered a layer of brown
have served as work and storage areas to the
alluvial soil with many pebble and cobble
nearby agricultural plots presumably on the
inclusions. To the south of W9, the partial
periphery of larger settlement sites. The sporadic
remains of a low cut bench, built alongside W1,
or seasonal temporal usage of the site would
was uncovered. Excavation within this room
explain the lack of accumulated occupational
uncovered numerous mudbrick fragments and a
debris at the site. The usage of the structure
stone-lined circular installation. The installation
as a farmhouse could also be indicated by the
was built partially upon the bedrock of a single
limited material remains found within. The
row of fieldstones.
material assemblage is comprised of ceramics
The Newe Shalom structure seems to have
(mostly body fragments), a few flint implements
been pre-planned in conjunction to the natural
(including flint hammerstones) and large
topography. The location, nestled within a
fragments of a plaster basin. The construction
large natural dip in the bedrock, provided a
of the building can be dated to the IB period
sturdy bedrock foundation for the southern,
as all dateable sherds from loci under clear
eastern, and western walls of the structure.
floor contexts were in fact from this period.
The structure’s external walls were all built
A non-intensive occupation of the structure
of a single row of large stone boulders set
continued on into the Middle Bronze Age II
directly upon a layer of alluvial soil or in some
period as suggested by the few indicative store
cases directly upon the limestone bedrock.
jar and cooking pot vessel fragments found
The stones would most likely have served as a
on the surface. The nature of the plaster basin,
foundation course for an assumingly mudrick
circular installation, and hammer/grinding
superstructure. During excavation mudbrick
stones indicates agricultural activity at the
fragments and debris were found within a few
site. In addition to the agricultural function of
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem *13
the building, the location, with a commanding
and a central open space. Further to the south,
overlooking view above the Ayyalon Valley,
another excavation conducted in Ramat Bet
would have made the site useful as a strategic
Shemesh (A-6354) uncovered the remains of
watch point.
a large settlement and numerous shaft tombs
In addition to the site at Newe Shalom, in the
from the IB period (Yitzhak Paz, pers. comm.).
immediate area remains from the IB period
Archaeological survey of the region documented
were uncovered at Moshav Tarum, the Esta’ol
many IBA sites in the region as indicated by
Junction, and Ramat Bet Shemesh (Fig. 1). At
large surface scatters of pottery (Dagan 2010).
Moshav Tarum, a limited salvage excavation
At Nahal Yarmut (Site 248), multiple structures
uncovered the remains of a single strata multi-
and a courtyard dating to the IBA period were
roomed structure dating to the IB period. Due
found (Dagan 1998). Around the structures
to the lack of the scope of the excavation the
numerous rock cut installations were found.
presence of other structures in the area is yet
Further to the east, in Jerusalem, sites from
undetermined (Storchan forthcoming). Nearby
the IB period were excavated at Ras-al-’Amud
to the north of Moshav Tarum, excavations
and at Malcha in the Nahal Refaim valley
conducted along Highway 44 uncovered cobble
(Fig. 6). The excavations both enjoyed a wide
and rock layers with ceramic remains from
scope and thus revealed impressive building
the IB period. The rocky layers probably were
plans. At the site of Ras-al-’Amud revealed
deemed to have been intentionally dumped and
multi-roomed structures build around a
related to unidentified agricultural activities. To
central open courtyard. Similar to the Newe
the east of Newe Shalom, a series of excavations Shalom farmhouse evidence of non-extensive
conducted at the Eshta’ol Junction (Areas A,
occupational remains dating to the MB II period
C, E, and F) revealed a grouping of multiple
were found directly above the IB stratum. A
structures from the IBA period built around
cluster of IB domestic structures were found at
large central courtyards (Golani and Storchan
Malha. Unlike the other IBA sites, occupation
2009). The structures were built of a row of
at the site continued and became increasingly
large fieldstone boulders with adjoining packed
intensified well into the MB II period (Eisenberg
earth floors. In addition, partial pavements of
1993). A similar pattern of continuous
small and medium sized stone cobbles were
occupation was noted during excavations at the
uncovered at the site. At the northern extent
nearby site of Manahat (Edelstein 1993).
of the excavations, a large rock pile was
The farmhouse found at Newe Shalom shares
uncovered resembling the rocky layers found
many of the typical characteristics and elements
along highway 44. Excavations at the site of
of an IB period site. Nearly all sites from the IBA
Er-Rujum uncovered the remains of an IBA
period can be noted by structural walls built of a
rural settlement buried under a large stone
single row of large fieldstones forming a building
heap (Milevski et al. 2012). The apparently rural
plan composed of a set of rooms built around
settlement included both broadroom structures
a courtyard. Pillar bases used for roof support
*14
An Intemediate Bronze Age Farmhouse at Newe Shalom
and grinding stone installations set within floor
niches including ample grazing land and a
makeup are also commonly found within the
climate suitable for year-round agriculture.
structures. The Newe Shalom farmhouse differs
All excavations at the settlement sites yielded
from the other clustered settlement sites as
material remains such as storage vessels,
no other structures were found in the nearby
domestic wares, and agricultural tools
area. A similarly isolated structure, dating to
indicating a highly sedentary and perhaps
the IBA period, was detected by survey at H.
completely permanently settled population
Zanoach (Site 160.2) (Dagan 2010). The ceramic
(Dagan 2006). The appearance of isolated
assemblage from Newe Shalom is extremely
farmhouse structures, such as at Newe Shalom,
limited in quantity in comparison to the other
coupled with larger village sites attests for the
excavations were sizeable amounts of ceramics
region’s predominantly sedentary agrarian
and in many cases restorable vessels were found.
way of life. The Newe Shalom farmhouse was
Of interesting note, both at Newe Shalom,
probably only but one of many such structures
Eshta’ol, and Ras el-Amud very minimal faunal
that dotted the ancient landscape located on the
remains were uncovered. The lack of ceramic and
periphery of the larger clustered settlement sites.
faunal assemblages may attest to a seasonal or
No direct clear connection between the Newe
un-intensive occupation of the site.
Shalom farmhouse and an assumed nearby
The recent discovery of multiple sites of close
larger domestic site can currently be made. With
proximity infers a large regional system of an
the continuous increase in modern development
interlinked and sedentary or semi-sedentary
in the region coupled with meticulous
lifestyle during the IB period. During the
archaeological inspection additional sites of
IBA period the Ramat Bet Shemesh region
a similar nature are bound to be discovered
flourished with settlements. The region would
enabling for a better picture of settlement
have provided a wide range of economic
patterns in the region during the IBA period.
Footnotes
1 The author wishes to thank the Council of Newe
Shalom for funding the excavation. Thanks are
due to Alla Negorski (District Archaeologist),
Natalia German (Archaeological Inspection), Irina
Linsky-Renikov (drawing of finds), Asaf Pertz (field
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*15
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